Winchester, VA - Born in 954, Alphege was destined first for the monastic life at Deerhurst monastery in Gloucester, England, and then for the hermitage near Somerset. While in Somerset, some men attached themselves to him, and would join him as monks when he and Saint Dunstan founded an abbey in Bath in the year 984. Alphege was abbot here, until he was appointed Bishop of Winchester later that year. He […]
Winchester, VA - Born in Lourdes, France in January 1844, Bernadette Soubirous was the oldest of nine children of poor, hardworking parents. She suffered with poor health most of her life, having dealt with cholera and extreme asthma when she was very young. In 1858, when she was 14, and while on an excursion to get firewood for the family, Bernadette was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary at the grotto […]
Winchester, VA - St. Paternus was an Irish or Scottish hermit. He was one of the first monks to enter the monastery of Abdinghof, under the leadership of St. Meinwerk. Paternus lived as a hermit, and was so given to his vow of enclosure, that when a fire engulfed Abdinghof, he refused to leave his cell, and was burned to death. St. Peter Damian held St. Paternus in high regard. St. […]
Winchester, VA - Normally the Annunciation falls on March 25, nine months before the Nativity of Our Blessed Lord, but because it fell on Palm Sunday this year, it was displaced by Holy Week and Easter week. The Annunciation commemorates the visit of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary in which he declared her full of grace, and presents God's plan to send His son to the world through […]
Winchester, VA - St. Joseph was the foster father of Our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ and the spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Matthew says he was the son of Jacob, and St. Luke claims that Heli was his father. Regardless, his city of birth was Bethlehem, and it is believed he was betrothed to the Blessed Virgin while living in Nazareth, where he was a carpenter by trade St. […]
Winchester, VA - Saint Maximilian was born in Numidia, which is in modern-day Algeria, around 275, the son of Roman army veteran Fabius Victor. He was known to have been a pacifist, and was executed by the sword for refusing to be conscripted into the Roman army. As the son of a veteran, he was obliged to serve in the military. His primary objection to joining the army was the idolatry […]
Winchester, VA - Born in Rome around 540, Pope Saint Gregory I was the son of Gordianus, a Roman senator, and Silvia, who is also honored as a saint. He received a supeior education, and worked in the public sphere, becoming Prefect of Rome, like his father, when he was only 33 years of age. At the death of his father, Gregory entered into monastic life. He was taken out of […]
Winchester, VA - Saint David is thought to have been born around 500 in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Solid historical information on him is scant, however he is said to have been the son of King Sant, and having studied under St. Paulinus, was ordained and became a teacher and preacher. He founded monastic settlements and churches in Wales, Dumnonia and Brittany. David founded a monastery at Menevia and he and his monks […]
Winchester, VA - John of Matha was the founder of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity, an order which, under the patronage of Our Lady of Good Remedy, is dedicated to ransoming Christians being held captive. He was born around 1160 in Faucon-de-Barcelonnette, on the border of Provence, to noble parents and was named for St. John the Baptist. He was given a traditional education fit for young nobility, and […]
Sermons culled from traditional Catholic priests according to the season.
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